In Africa!

I made it!

After a 15 hour flight to Dubai, I arrived there in one piece. The plane was amazing!! I never even got my iPod out, as the in-flight entertainment was great. I watched a movie, ate 2 meals (and good ones!) and slept for 6 hours. It was nice getting to know the other students on this trip while on the flight.

When we arrived in Dubai, there was not a single moment to spare. We checked into the hotel and promptly booked a 3 hour bus tour through the city. The first stop on the tour was at the Mall of Emirates. This mall makes the Galleria look like Harwin!!! There is an indoor ski slope with a lift and all! I was amazed. We sat in a coffee shop and watched the skiers and kids playing in the snow. After that we went to the 7 star hotel. We did not get to go inside as you have to pay to even set foot in the lobby. The rest of the tour included going to the Arabian Sea, the man made island in the shape of a palm tree, and the back to the hotel to gather up our luggage for the next plane ride (it was 2am) to Johannesburg.


This flight was just a awesome as the last, but not quite as long. After dinner (?) at 5am and then breakfast at 9am, we landed safely in South Africa. The hotel was beautiful. Although under construction, we had a lovely room with a great bathtub. My roommate and I unpacked a bit, had some dinner, and then could barely keep our eyes open, finally crashing at 6:30pm. WHAT BUMS! Luckily all of that sleep held off the jetlag.

The following day, we had a guided tour through Johannesburg, Pretoria (the administrative capital of South Africa), and then we headed to the Aparthid Museum. It was so devistating to see the racism that littered this country only 14 years ago! I was appauled at the treatment of the blacks, colored, and Asians during my lifetime. Pictures of some of the museum to be posted later. This museum serves as a reminder of why I have choosen this line of work.